4 fatalities

1972-11-23: De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou (401) — Air America — Salavan, Laos

Salavan, LaosFlight

On November 23, 1972, a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou (registration 401) operated by Air America was involved in an aviation accident near Salavan, Laos in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was destroyed after being struck by ground-based fire during a low-altitude mission. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781233391Data APIEditorial standards

A transport aircraft crashed in the Salavan region after being struck by ground-based fire during a low-altitude supply flight.

What happened

During a logistics operation originating from Pakse, an aircraft was performing a supply mission at a low altitude. While traversing the airspace near the Salavan region, the plane was hit by projectiles from ground-based weaponry. The impact resulted in the aircraft catching fire and crashing.

There were four fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft during the incident. No survivors were reported from the crew or passengers on board.

Findings

Investigations into the crash determined that the primary factor leading to the destruction of the aircraft was ground fire hitting the plane while it was in flight.

Probable cause

The aircraft was destroyed after being struck by ground-based fire during a low-altitude mission.